Bridgewater, NJ- The Somerset Patriots have announced the signing of right-handed pitcher Patrick Johnson.

Johnson enters his first season with the Somerset Patriots and his first in the Atlantic League.

Johnson was originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 25th round of the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft out of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He spent the first three seasons of his professional career with the Rockies organization, including time at High A-Modesto.

2017 was Johnson’s second consecutive season as a member of Miami Marlins farm system. He registered a 3.37 ERA in 31 games with AA-Jacksonville in 2016. He made an appearance with Miami’s Rookie Level affiliate this season.

In between pitching for the Colorado and Miami organizations, the Hickory, North Carolina native played for the Sioux City Explorers of the American Association from 2014-15.

Arguably the best season of Johnson’s career came in his 2015 campaign with Sioux City, where he led the American Association in wins with 15, ranked second in the league with 132 strikeouts, and third in the league with a 2.08 ERA.

As the ace of the staff, Johnson led the Explorers to the 2015 American Association Championship Series en route to being named the AA Pitcher of the Year.

Over the course of his seven-year professional career, Johnson has appeared in 165 games, including 85 starts, winning 41 games while striking out 556 batters over 569.0 career innings and owning a 3.32 ERA.

Johnson is expected to be activated for Wednesday’s double-header against the Long Island Ducks.

Tickets to the 2017 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford, which includes the team’s 20th Anniversary, are on sale. For more information, stop by the ballpark, call (908) 252-0700, or visit www.somersetpatriots.com.

About The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)

The Atlantic League has been a leader in professional baseball and a gateway to Major League Baseball since 1998. Over 37 million fans have attended Atlantic League games and more than 800 players and 50 managers and coaches have joined MLB organizations directly from the ALPB. The Atlantic League emphasizes winning baseball games, showcasing the talent of top-caliber players and offering affordable family entertainment to metropolitan markets serving nearly 15% of the US population.